Putting decals on a truck trailer - part 1

 

Many of the train formation I'm interested in use the Lohr freight wagons that carry truck trailers. Not all designs/liveries are available as miniature trucks, so I thought it would be good to learn how to apply decals on a trailer.

In this case, I bought the decals first, rather than getting the decals from a photo I saw.

Decals

I bought those decals from Max-Model in Italy:

https://www.max-model.it/en/italy/2238-bartoli-noleggi-trailer-m62610.html

Prototypical truck

Bartolli is a truck rental company near Florence in Italy: 

https://www.bartolispa.com/

And here are some pictures of the trailer:

https://www.bartolispa.com/noleggio/veicoli-a-noleggio/rimorchio/bartoli-rent-euro-33-frigo

Miniature trail

The base is a blank trailer from Herpa. I applied the first large side based on the method detailed before.

It needs to dry for a day, so let's check back again soon ...

Récapitulatif complet pour ma rame RIO Nord Pas-de-Calais

 

BB 516646

 

This is an 16500 engine I wanted to convert to DCC sound for a while now; to go with the Lima RIO units.

The decoder is from Miniature Passion:

I programmed the decoder on my test bench:

I then brought the engine onto the layout to register it on the ECoS through RailCom, but somehow it didn't pick it up as a DCC decoder, but rather a M4. I have no idea why!!

RIO Nord-Pas-de-Calais - part 21 out 21

 

And now that the unit is fully completed, here are some more pictures and personal videos:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Lille_Flandres_apr_1980.jpg

https://www.cheminots.net/topic/48039-rib-rio-rrr-photographies/

https://www.cheminots.net/topic/48039-rib-rio-rrr-photographies/

https://www.cheminots.net/topic/48039-rib-rio-rrr-photographies/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126254131@N05/40161056753/

My first decals

 

I have a couple of projects with decals, so I need to get started on this new topic. I mostly followed this tutorial:

He nicely provided a PDF that outlines the steps: https://www.plastikdream.com/web/proc_pose_decal.pdf

Here are the required tools:

• Micro Set and Micro Sol
• Toothpicks and Q-tips
• Brush pens
• Hobby knife
• Flat tweezers

And the steps:

1. Prepare surface with Tamiya X-22 diluted 50/50 with Tamiya X-20A Thinner
2. Let dry for 24h
3. Cut decals
4. Put decals with flat tweezers in lukewarm water for 10-15 seconds
5. Place wet decals on paper towel and add more water with a pipette, wait 1 minute
6. Apply Micro Set with the brush pen generously 
7. Slide the decals on that surface
8. Use toothpick to position decals
9. Roll Q-tips to remove excess Micro Set and air bubbles
10. Apply Micro Sol with brush pen generously 
11. Let dry for 24h
12. Use 5000 or 7000 grid sandpaper
13. Finish with Tamiya X-22 diluted 50/50 with Tamiya X-20A Thinner
14. Let dry for 24h

Here's my first attempt - not fully dry just yet.